Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 18 Mar 15;
BY 2065, Singapore will be a "space-age kampung" that has a greater reliance on solar power and builds flats on bodies of water.
Transport linking the countries in the region will also have become so fast and seamless that cities such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur will be like neighbourhoods in a vast metropolitan area.
These visions are among those submitted by Singaporeans to BuildSG2065 - a contest being held by The Straits Times and CapitaLand, one of Asia's largest real estate companies, to mark the country's 50th anniversary.
It asks Singaporeans to submit their visions for the Republic in another 50 years' time.
They could end up being showcased in an upcoming exhibition featuring Singa- pore's past, present and future on the pages of The Straits Times, which commemorates its own 170th anniversary this year.
Submissions can be made in four categories: space-age kampungs, go green, smart spaces, and weatherproof world.
Ms Nicole Chia, 21, who submitted an entry in the first category, believes that in 2065, household appliances in Singapore will all draw their power from the sun.
"The energy will come from solar panels mounted on the top of buildings and Singaporeans will rely less on electrical energy during sunny days," she said. "The solar energy will also be conserved to be used on rainy days in additional to electrical energy."
People will also have dials in their homes that allow them to modulate the amount of solar energy they draw from the panels.
She explained: "They can choose to dim the lights in the apartment or change the temperature of the bathwater, for example.
"With such methods, we can save the environment and our money."
Mr Li Zongyin, 31, said Singapore will have space-age kelongs or low-rise flats standing over the nation's reservoirs.
"While the reservoir contributes to the beauty of the buildings and naturally cools them, the buildings will also help to reduce evaporation and retain the water in the reservoir," he said.
In another submission, he said transport links between the ASEAN region's cities will have improved to the point that the cities will be neighbourhoods in an ultra-connected, cross-border area.
"Imagine waking up in Jurong on a lazy Saturday morning. You tap your ez-link card, enter a vacuum tube, and in 45 minutes you're in Kuala Lumpur having nasi for lunch," Mr Li said.
"With RFID (radio-frequency identification) and video recognition, there is not even the need to stop and step off the train as it crosses Customs. The system just detects and knows that you are leaving the country."
Mr Osman V.P. Mohamed, 49, believes Singapore will be the most "exuberant city of the Far East" in 2065.
"It will be where intellectuals, entrepreneurs and entertainers from both the East and West congregate to ponder and create new ideas and designs for the rest of the world. I'll be 99 years old if I live long enough to see all this!"
To submit your idea, go online to http://buildsg2065. straitstimes.com/ from now until April 30. Ideas submitted stand to win attractive prizes.
